Machine for reforming can bodies



\ Filed NOV. 1, 1951 Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH 2,687,163

MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 24, 1954 w. R.SMITH MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. l,1951 vlll i7 i7 i4 if Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH MACHINE FOR REFORMINGCAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 1, 1951 INVENTOR. W/M/AM E055/M/T/V Iii/M Aug. 24, 1954 w. R. SMITH 2,687,163

MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES Filed NOV. 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4JTTOEA/EVS Patent 1,962,166.

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 MACHINE FOR REFORMING CAN BODIES William RossSmith, Portland, 0reg., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 1, 1951, Serial No.254,325

6 Claims. (01. 153-32) The present invention relates to a machine forreforming can bodies by restoring them to their original shape afterthey have been flattened as for shipment and storage, and has particularreference to magnetic devices for removing the reformed can bodies fromthe machine. This is an improvement upon the machine disclosed in UnitedStates Patent 1,962,166 issued June 12, 1934, to F. M. Yost on Apparatusfor Reforming Can Bodies.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of a can bodyreforming machine with a magnetic discharge device wherein short lengthand light weight magnetizable can bodies, which heretofore havefrequently may be readily handled.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein positivecontrol may be had over the can bodies as they leave the reformingmandrels with the result that less jamming of the machine and lessspoilage of the can bodies obtain.

Numerous other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better undere stood from the following description, which,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses apreferred embodiment thereof. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a topplan view of an improved can body reforming machineembodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front end elevation of the machineshown in Fig. l, as viewed from the lower portion of that figure;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 in Fig. l, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along thebroken line 4-4 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention thedrawings disclose principal parts of a can body reforming machine of thecharacter shown in the above mentioned Yost In such a reforming machine,flattened sheet metal can bodies, which originally were cylindrical andtubular, are received in stacked formation in a magazine 2| (Figs. 1and. 2) fromwhich jammed the machine,

they are fed horizontally and individually by a pair of reciprocatingfeed bars 22. The feed bars 22 advanced a flattened can body into aspreading station 23 where vertically disposed suction cups 24 engageagainst the flattened sides of the can body and partially spread themapart as an initial step in the reforming operation. After such aninitial spreading operation the feed bars 22 advance the can body towardand force 1 the partially spread can body onto an aligned cylindricalmandrel 26 having an outer pointed end over which the body is spreadwith the result that the body is further spread into a more cylindricalshape.

There are a plurality of the mandrels: 26 arranged in a circle and theyproject horizontally from a vertically disposed rotatable disc 21mounted on and keyed to a horizontal shaft 28 (see Fig. 3) journaled ina bearing bracket 29 and in bearings of a gear housing 30 both of whichare secured to a frame 3| which constitutes the main frame of themachine. The disc 21 is rotated intermittently to advance the mandrelsalong a circular path of travel past various working stations. For thispurpose the disc shaft 28 carries a disc indexing gear 35 having aninterrupted helical thread which meshes with and is driven by acontinuously rotating helical pinion 36 disposed within the gear housing30.

The pinion 36 is mounted on a main drive shaft 31 which is journaled inbearings formed in the gear housing 30 and in a pair of spaced bearingbrackets 38 (Figs. 1 and 4) secured to the main frame 3|. The main driveshaft 31 is rotated continuously in any suitable manner, preferablythrough a flywheel 39 carried on one end of the shaft.

After a partially spread can body is received on a mandrel 26, theindexing disc 2'! is partially rotated to advance the mandrel into anidle station and then into a reforming station. At the reforming stationa rolling pressure is exerted against the side wall of the can body onthe mandrel to iron out any creases or irregularities in the body and tothus reform the body into its original smooth true cylindrical shape.This results in a can body A upon which further operations may beperformed as an incident to its incorporation into a can or container.

This reformin of the can body preferably is effected by a pair ofreforming rolls 4|, 42 which are disposed at the reforming station andare located immediately below the path of travel of the mandrels 26. Therolls 4|, 42 extend parallel with the mandrels and are positioned closetogether and on opposite sides of the mandrel at the reforming stationas best shown in Fig, 4. The rolls are mounted on short shafts 43, d4journaled in bearings in bearing blocks 45 mounted for reciprocationtoward and away from the mandrel along a radial line of the disc 2'5.Reciprocation of the bearing blocks 45 is effected through a leverconnection with a barrel cam il carried on and rotated by the main driveshaft 31. This structure together with the rest of the machine thus fardescribed is clearly disclosed in the above mentioned Yost Patent1,962,166.

The reforming rolls 4|, 42 as disclosed in the Yost patent arecontinuously rotated in the same direction by driving shafts 48, 49(Figs. 2 and 3) which are connected by universal jointed rods 52 to theroll shafts 43, 44. The driving shafts 48, 49 are rotated by a pair ofgears 54, 95 mounted on the shafts respectively and an intermediateidler gear 55 carried on a stud 51. The first gear 5 5 meshes with andis rotated by a driving gear 59 carried on a cross-shaft 3| journaled ina pair of spaced bearing blocks 62 secured to the machine frame 3|. Thecrossshaft 6| extends back toward the main drive 37 and is continuouslydriven by this shaft through a bevel pinion 53 (Fig. l) on thecross-shaft 6| and a bevel gear 64 on the main drive shaft.

Thus when a mandrel 25 carrying a partially reformed can body is indexedinto position at the reforming station, the rotating reforming rolls 4|,42, through movement of their bearing blocks 45, press the side wall ofthe can body against the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel andhence the body is rotated onthe mandrel and simultaneously ironed-outinto the true shaped can body A. As disclosed in the Yost patent, themandrels 26 are rotatably mounted on the indexing disc 21 to permit ofthis rotation of the can body. During this reforming operation, themandrel is backed up by an anvil 66 (Fig. 4) located in a boss Elprojecting from the bearing bracket 29 as in the Yost patent.

After the reforming operation, the reformed can body A is slightlylarger in diameter than the mandrel 26 on which it is carried. In thiscondition the can body is advanced by the indexing disc 21 through anidle station and thence into a discharge station. As an improvement onthe machine disclosed in the Yost patent, the

loose fitting reformed can body A is retained against inadvertentdisplacement from its mandrel 25 as the mandrel travels from thereforming station to the discharge station. This is effected by astationary curved plate H which extends between these two stations asshown in Fig. 4 and is disposed adjacent the pointed ends of themandrels 29 between the mandrels and the indexing disc shaft 28. Theouter edge of the piate is concentric with the path of travel of themandrels and is tangent to the outer periphery of the mandrels, beingvery close to the mandrels but not touching them. The lower end of theplate at the reforming station overlaps the mandrel at this station sothat the plate will engage the outer edge of a can body and retain thebody in place on the mandrel while at the reforming station and alsowhile traveling toward and through the subsequent idle station. Theupper end of the plate H terminates short of the discharge station sothat the reformed can body may be readily removed from the mandrel.

At the discharge station the reformed can body A is stripped off itsmandrel 25 longitudinally thereof and is carried to a discharge chute 13(Figs. 1, 2 and 3) by an improved discharge device. This dischargedevice comprises a horizontally disposed endless chain conveyor 14 whichpreferably is parallel with and immediately above a mandrel 26 at restat the discharge station as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The conveyoroverlaps the mandrel for its full length and extends toward and overlapsthe chute 13.

The discharge conveyor 14 operates over a pair of spaced sprockets l5,16 mounted on short shafts ll, 78 journaled in suitable bearings formedin a pair of spaced and parallel horizontally disposed guide rails 19located one on each side of the conveyor. The guide rails 19 aresupported on upright brackets 3| secured to the machine frame 3|. Thesprocket shaft '12 preferably is a conveyor driving shaft and is rotatedby a bevel gear 62 carried on the shaft. This bevel gear meshes with andis rotated by a bevel gear 33 carried on one end of a driving shaft 84which is located adjacent one of the guide rails 19 and is journaled inbearings 85 projecting from this guide rail. The shaft carries and isdriven by a sprocket 86 which in turn is rotated by an endless chain 87operating over a sprocket 88 on the reforming roll driving shaft 8|.Thus the travel of the discharge conveyor 14 is continuous and is timedwith the other moving parts of the machine, the conveyor traveling in aclockwise direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3.

At spaced intervals along the discharge conveyor 14 the endless chaincarries rectangular shaped guide plates 9| which support permanentmagnets 92 secured thereto in a fixed position. There is one magnet oneach guide plate 9| and they travel with; the conveyor 14 as it operatesover the sprockets l5, 16. The guide plates 9| are of a width justsufficient to pass between the guide rails '19 (see Fig. 2) so as toguide the magnets along a straight line path of travel as they advancewith the conveyor. Adjacent the mandrel end of the conveyor 14, theguide rails 79 carry a pair of horizontally disposed short tracks orguide members 94 (Fig. 3) having tapered entrance ends 95 upon which theguide plates 9| ride to vertically locate the magnets 92 relative to themandrel at the discharge station. There is one guide member 94 on theinner face of each guide rail 19.

Hence during the period when a mandrel 2B is at rest at the dischargestation, the continuously moving conveyor 14 carries a guide plate filand. its magnet 92 around the sprocket 15 adjacent the plane of thelower run of the conveyor and causes the guide plate 9| to ride alongthe guide members 94. In this position of the guide plate 9| its magnet92 is in a depending relation immediately above the mandrel 26. Theguide members 94 accurately locate the magnet close to the mandrel 26with the result that as the magnet 92 moves along the mandrel it engagesthe outer surface of the side wall of the reformed can body Aintermediate its ends and thus picks up the can body and removes thebody endwise from the pointed end of the mandrel.

With the reformed can body A thus suspended from the magnet 92 theconveyor 14 advances the chute l3. Whenthe can body is fully over thechute it engages a stripper finger 96 (Figs. 2 and 3) projectingupwardlyfrom the outer wall of the chute and into the path of travel ofthe can body and thus strips thebody off the magnet as the magnetpassesby and continues on up onto the upper run of the conveyor 14 for arepeat operation. The stripped off can body A falls into the chute'jfland is directed to any suitable place of deposit. 'For this purpose thechute 13 preferably is disposed in an inclined position as best shown inFig. 2. 1,,

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of amandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to bereformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for reforming the canbody on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body toa discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at saiddischarge position, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carriedon said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body on said mandrel forremoving the body longitudinally from said mandrel, a guide plate forsaid magnet carried by said conveyor, and guide rails for said plateextending alongside said conveyor for engaging said moving plate toretain said magnet in a predetermined position relative to said conveyorand said mandrel during engagement and removal of the body from themandrel.

.2. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination ofa mandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to bereformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for reforming the canbody on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body toa discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at saiddischarge position, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnet carriedon said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body on said mandrel forremoving the body from said mandrel, a guide plate for said magnet andcarried on said conveyor, guide rails extending longitudinally of andadjacent said conveyor for engaging said moving guide plate laterallyand thereby guiding said magnet along a predetermined path of travelwith said conveyor, and guide members disposed adjacent said guide railsandin the path of travel of said guide plate for engaging said movingplate and thereby positioning the moving magnet relative to said mandrelfor proper engagement of the magnet with the reformed can body on themandrel to facilitate removal therefrom.

3. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of arotatable disc, a plurality of mandrels on said disc for receiving andsupporting flattened can bodies to be reformed, means for rotating saiddisc intermittently for advancement of said mandrels in an arcuate pathindividually and successively into a can body discharge station, astationary retaining plate disposed adjacent the path of travel of saidmandrels and extending to said discharge station, said retaining platehaving an edge substantially con' centric with the path of said movingmandrels and closely spaced from the outer surfaces of the mandrel forretaining reformed can bodies in place thereon until positioned at saiddischarge station, a conveyor disposed at said station, said conveyorextending longitudinally of and adjacent a mandrel at restatsaidstation, means for actuating said conveyor continuously, and aplurality of spaced magnets on said conveyor for selectively andindividually engaging and removing individual reformed can bodies fromthe mandrels advanced into said station.

4. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies,-the combination of ahorizontally disposed mandrel for receiving and supporting a partiallyreformed flattened can body to be fully reformed, means for moving saidmandrel in a path substantially normal to the axis of the mandrel, meansadjacent the path of said mandrel for feeding a partially reformedflattened body to the mandrel, means for reforming said body while onthe mandrel, a conveyor disposed above the path of said mandrel andmovable longitudinally relative to the mandrel, means for actuating saidconveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor and having a body engagingsurface substantially parallel with the mandrel for engaging a reformedcan body on said mandrel and for removing the body longitudinallytherefrom, a guide plate carried by said conveyor adjacent said magnet,guide rails extending alongside said conveyor for laterally engaging andguiding said moving guide plate, and guide members extendinglongitudinally of and below said conveyor for engaging the under side ofsaid guide plate to accurately space said magnet above said mandrel andthe reformed body thereon and thus insure proper engagement of themoving magnet with said reformed body to facilitate removal of the bodyfrom the mandrel.

5. In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination of ahorizontally disposed mandrel for receiving and supporting a partiallyreformed flattened can body to be fully reformed, means for moving saidmandrel in a path substantially normal to the axis of the mandrel, meansadjacent the path of said mandrel for feeding a partially reformedflattened body to the mandrel, means for reforming said body while onthe mandrel, a conveyor disposed above the path of said mandrel andmovable longitudinally relative to the mandrel, means for actuating saidconveyor, a magnet carried on said conveyor and having a body engagingsurface substantially parallel with the mandrel for engaging a reformedcan body on said mandrel and for removing the body longitudinallytherefrom, a stationary guide plate extending alongside the path of saidmandrel to said conveyor and having an edge closely spaced from thecylindrical surface of the mandrel to retain a can body on the mandrel,a guide plate carried by said conveyor adjacent said magnet, guide railsextending alongside said conveyor for laterally engaging and guidingsaid moving guide plate, guide member extending longitudinally of andbelow said conveyor for engaging the underside of said guide plate andto accurately space said magnet above said mandrel and the reformed bodythereon and thus insure proper engagement of the moving magnet with saidreon and conveyed hyeaid :magnet for stripp n the bodyfmom the magnet.

-.6, In a machine for reforming flattened can bodies, the combination ofa mandrel for receiving and supporting a flattened can body to bereformed, means disposed adjacent said mandrel for refiorming the :oanbody on said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel and reformed body toa discharge position, a conveyor disposed adjacent said mandrel at saiddischarge position and being capable of slight lateral movement-withrespect to the mandrel, means for actuating said conveyor, a magnetcarried on said conveyor for engaging the reformed can body :on saidmandrel for removing the body longitudinally irom said mandrel, andguide means disposed adjacent said conveyor and engaging with the magnetformaintaming said magnet :in a predetermined position relative to saidmandrel during [engagement and removal of the body from the mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 513,776 Gray et a1 Jan. 30, 1894 672,663 Baxter et a1 Apr.23,1901 929,798 Spain Aug. 3, 1909 1,962,166 Yost June 12}, 19.34;

